Whitewater IPA - Boston Beer Company

    Whitewater IPA is an interesting take on the American India Pale Ale created by Boston Beer Company located, where else, but Boston, Massachusetts. Instead of the usual malts used in IPAs, Whitewater uses wheat, giving the beer a much different flavor than other IPAs.

    The IPA pours a hazy straw-yellow with a massive foamy white head which persists for quite a while. When the head finally fades, it leaves lots of nice lacing on the cup.

    Whitewater IPA smells mainly of wheat with a bit of citrusy hops and lemon. There is also a slight peach scent to the ale.

    The IPA is light bodied and moderately carbonated, though the carbonation works well to make the beer feel creamy. The beer leaves an oily feeling in your mouth after swallowing. There also seems to be little bits of wheat throughout the beer that at some points can be felt in your mouth.

Whitewater IPA thinks it is more extreme than it is...

     The first flavors which hit your mouth when drinking Whitewater IPA are the bitter, citrusy flavors of hops. There is a good bit of lemon and orange peel in the flavor which are common in wheat beers. There is a malty/wheat sweetness that follows the citrus bitterness as well as a funky fruit flavor. Whitewater's aftertaste is that of bitter hops and citrus. The beer finishes relatively dry and at 5.8% ABV, has no alcohol flavor.

    I really feel as though this beer has all the hops of an IPA, but just doesn't quite back them up with the malts needed for balance to live up to many of the great IPAs on the market. I honestly would not call this beer an IPA at all. I would call it an extremely hopped wheat beer, which will never be as good to me as a good old classic IPA.

    Whitewater IPA doesn't taste bad, but the flavors of orange peel, peach, wheat, and citrusy hops really don't cater to any one niche of beer fans. I feel as though fans of wheat beers will be turned off by the massive hops in the ale, and IPA fans will be turned off by the wheat and fruit flavors present. Sam Adams has a knack for making beers that are very drinkable, though I feel that Whtiewater IPA might just be an exception to that rule.

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